Always
by Lady Dudley
Summary: I'm sure it's been done millions of times before, but this is a little something post "Acquisition."


**A/N: Well, after having nothing to write for so long it seems I've gotten my groove back :) Anyways, I tried something a little different with this piece. It's set after S1E19 "Acquisition," hope you like it :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

_**Always**_

He could still see all of the women lying unconscious in the cargo bay, ready to be shipped off by the aliens and sold into slavery. Even though he hadn't known their exact fate at the time, he'd had his suspicions and had hated seeing them so vulnerable.

Especially her.

He'd tried repeatedly to wake her up with the hypo-spray and had been more disheartened than he cared to admit when she failed to wake. He was willing to admit, however, that it had strengthened his resolve to save them – to save _her_.

_I'm not letting them take my wife._

Even now he wasn't entirely sure where that particular piece of improvisation had come from, he'd just known that he wanted to keep her safe. The next words had rolled naturally off his tongue as his protective instincts kicked in:

_And you're gonna keep your filthy hands off her!_

Their relationship may have been pretend, but his threat hadn't been.

It was also at this point that the line between reality and pretence had begun to blur in his mind. He'd known that Archer wasn't serious about trying to buy him off, that he was simply playing along with the deception, but even the _thought_ of letting her fall into the hands of those aliens had been enough to set him off.

His roar of fury as he launched at his Captain hadn't been feigned: in that moment he had to protect her by any means within his power.

A foolish instinct, but a powerful one nonetheless.

In the end it just might have saved them all since the aliens fell for his 'performance' hook, line and sinker. He hadn't missed Archer's slightly quizzical glance as they'd left the cargo bay though but, mercifully, he hadn't pressed the point.

Yet.

He stifled a groan as he was broken from his thoughts by the chime on his door, he'd _really_ been hoping that Archer would pretend it had never happened and spare him the teasing.

He blinked as he opened the door to find her instead.

"Hello," she greeted him, looking a little apprehensive.

"Hello," he echoed, feeling just as nervous. "Would you like to come in?" he asked, recovering his manners and stepping aside to allow her access to his quarters.

She dipped her head a little, "Thank you," she murmured, slipping passed him.

"What can I do for you?" he asked, indicating for her to take a seat at his desk as he perched on the edge of his bunk.

She fidgeted in her seat nervously for a moment, before looking up at him, "Why me?"

The bluntness of her question caught him off guard and he scrambled to think of an answer, cursing Archer's inability to keep his mouth shut.

"I couldn't let them take you," he said simply.

She bit her lip and regarded him almost shyly, "Why?"

There was a long pause as he considered just how far he was willing to take this conversation, he looked up and caught her gaze.

Unconsciously he sat up a little straighter, bracing himself: she deserved to know the truth.

"Because you're the one thing I couldn't bear to lose," he told her quietly.

Whatever answer she'd been expecting, that clearly hadn't been it and she stared at him with those wide, brown eyes that he loved so much.

"Why?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

This time he was the one to fidget nervously before replying, "Because I love you," he said finally, voicing the thought that he'd been attempting to avoid all evening.

Once again his answer had not been what she expected and she stared at him in astonishment.

She made several, abortive attempts to speak before finally finding her voice, "I…I don't know what to say."

But he'd caught a glimpse of her response in her dark eyes and he let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He smiled, "You _could_ say that you love me too," he told her lightly.

Slowly, tentatively she smiled back, "I do," she said seriously. "Very much," she added earnestly, her hands fluttered anxiously in the air, "but I never-"

"Shh," he soothed, cutting her off as she began to get stressed. He crossed the room to crouch in front of her, taking her hand as he did so, "Just relax," he commanded.

He smiled as she obediently closed her eyes and took a calming breath, "We'll take this slow," he promised as she opened her eyes again. "The last thing I want to do is rush you," he continued, "I just wanted you to know."

She smiled and squeezed his hand, "Thank you for saving me."

His smile widened into a grin and he kissed her hand, "Always."


End file.
